1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of remanufacturing a process cartridge that is attached in a detachable manner to a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a method of assembling a process cartridge, and a connecting member.
Here, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus forms an image on a recording medium by using an electrophotographic image forming method. Examples of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus include an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (such as a laser beam printer or an LED printer), a facsimile device and a word processor.
In addition, a process cartridge is a cartridge in which charging means, developing means or cleaning means is integrated with an electrophotographic photosensitive member, and which can be attached to or detached from the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, for an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic image forming process, a process cartridge system is adopted in which the electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means that acts on the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrated as a cartridge, which is attached in a detachable manner to the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. According to this process cartridge system, maintenance of the apparatus can be performed by a user without a service person, so that usability can be improved largely.
Such a process cartridge is used for forming an image on a recording medium utilizing a developer. Therefore, as images are formed, the developer is consumed. When the developer is consumed and it becomes impossible to form an image having a quality good enough to satisfy a user who bought a process cartridge, the process cartridge looses its value.
Conventionally, it is desired to realize a simple remanufacture method of a process cartridge that can remanufacture a process cartridge that lost its value as the developer was consumed. It is also desired to realize a simple assembling method of a process cartridge.
Therefore, as the conventional remanufacturing method and the assembling method of a process cartridge, there are methods described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,519,430 and 5,966,566. In these methods, for a cartridge having a structure in which a developer frame or a developing frame and a drum frame are connected in a rotatable manner, a pin or others that connects the both members is removed so as to explode a main body of the cartridge for remanufacture.
Another conventional method is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 6-130740. In this method, the cartridge has plural frames that can be separated from each other. A developer frame and a developing frame are separated from each other for remanufacture and assembly.
An ultrasonic welding method is used for bonding frames that constitute a process cartridge. The ultrasonic welding method is also used for bonding the developing frame and the developer frame for containing the developer. A support frame for supporting a developing roller is attached to the developing frame in a movable manner (see U.S. patent application Publication No. 02-159788).
In addition, there is another conventional remanufacturing and assembling method of a process cartridge having a frame connection portion by a resin connection, in which a resin connection portion is cut off and then the frames are connected again using a spacer at the connection portion (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-18482).
Furthermore, there are other conventional methods for remanufacturing and assembling two parts on purpose of improving remanufacture property. One is a method of using a supporting member made of a resin for attaching a casing cover of an electronic apparatus as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-55015. Another method uses a bonding member made of an elastomer having a wave-like portion as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,574,445.
Furthermore, there is another conventional remanufacturing method for recycling a process cartridge, in which cleaning means is removed from the process cartridge and replaced with new one. First, screws that fix the cleaning means to a frame are removed, and then the cleaning means is removed. In addition, there is a remanufacturing and assembling method in which new cleaning means is fixed to a frame using screws (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,577,829 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-177651).